Album Review: Troye Sivan - Bloom

At only 20 years of age, Perth born Troye Sivan went from making videos in his bedroom to releasing award-winning material within first album Blue Neighbourhood. Coming out to the world via YouTube in his teens, Sivan, now 23, has become an icon for LGBTQ communities through his passionate advocacy and musical expression, and his third release Bloom is a declaration of comfort in and love for his current life.

Beginning with the openly raw Seventeen, the track illustrates the naivety of his youth in a slowly paced melody, "Boy becomes a man now/Can't tell a man to slow down/He'll just do whatever, do whatever he wants" written about his underage experiences with older men. Sivan navigates the waters of sexual freedom with bass-driven '80s synth-pop track My My My!, sung about loving wholeheartedly and with all of oneself. It's deep pulsing synth and cheeky lyrics - "I got my tongue between your teeth" - make it a sensual and fun dance track.

Taking time to catch our breath, the light pluck of guitar in The Good Side brings a retrospective outlook on Sivan's innocence from a past relationship, around which previous album Blue Neighbourhood was moulded ("The people danced to the sound of your heart/The world sang along to it falling apart"). Its layered vocals and simplicity provide considerable warmth and intimacy.

The cheekiness prevails during Bloom, with lines like "take a trip into my garden/I've got so much to show ya" exploring freedom and liberation in love, life and sexuality. His light and sweet vocals layered on top of the pulsing dance beats provide an explosive anthem of self-love that would easily light up any dancefloor. Utilising the flower's sex symbolism throughout, Bloom takes Sivan's confidence and maturity to new heights, representing his own growth across his musical and personal journeys and creating a space for fans alike to feel empowered.

The love continues as Aussie indie-pop singer Gordi brings her uniquely deep vocal style to Postcard, a slow piano ballad drenched in haunting reverb. Simplicity is a commonly explored theme, as most tracks maintain a simple running beat with soft, melodic synth. Dance To This encapsulates this effortlessly, caressed in a slow-dancing backbeat as the angelic vocals of Ariana Grande transport it high above the clouds.

Lucky Strike is a passionate and raw love letter of lust and longing, a sensual groove-based track with an echoing chorus. Ending with the heavenly soulful Animal, there is no denying Troye Sivan's unapologetic release comes from somewhere honest and meaningful - each lyric rings out confidently with passion and poise. It's a certainty that these soulful and cheeky pop tunes will have many dancing around their bedrooms with all the power in their bones.